Gag-bit



J. M. DUNN.

(No Model.)

GAG BIT.

No. 355,442. Patented Jan. 4, 1887.

N. PETERS, moumagrapner, wamingtm me.

PATENT BEIGE.

JAMEs M. nUNMoE KINGsvILLE, MIssoURI. ff

o'AG-BlT'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 120.355,442, dated January 4, 1887.

' Application filed October 1.5, 1886. Serial No. 216,328. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JAMES M. DUNN, a {citizen of the United States, residing at Kingsence being had to the accompanying drawings,

I is a perspective view of the lock.

and to the letters and ligures of reference marked thereon, which forni a part of this specification.

Myinventionhas relation to gag-bits, and

is an instrument to be used in Veterinary surgery; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts, hereinafter fully set forth in the specification and claim.

-In the accompanying drawings, Figurerl' is a perspective View of my invention. Fig. 2

My invention is described as follows: I make a bit, A, having the side pieces 2 in the upperV ends of which are openings 3, having the head-gear 4 to be attached, which may be made of leather or other suitable material. To the lower endof the side pieces 2 of the bit A is a rod or cross-piece, 5, which is to go in the horse-s mouth, and which joins the side pieces 2 together. From the lower end and rear edge of the side pieces 2 extend backward arms 6, which extend beyond the lower jaw of the horse and meet at point marked Z in Fig. 1, and extend back as one solid piece, forming a handle, 8, on whichis mounted a 'convenient handle, 9. In the handle 8 is a perpendicular slot, 10. To the under face of said handle Sis pivoted by a pivot, 11, the lock 12. To the said kbit Ais pivoted a lever, B, which consists of side pieces 13, which are pivoted to the outer face of the side pieces 2 of the bit A by pivots 14. These side pieces 13 extend downwarda little beyond the lower ends of said side pieces 2, and are secured together by a rod, 15, that lies close against the cross-piece 5, and also works in the horses mouth. The upper ends of these side pieces 13 extend upward and backward, forming levers 16, and nearly meet in rear of the horses under jaw. Between the outer ends of these levers 16 is pivoted by .a pivot, 17, a notch-bar, 18, which works up and down loosely in the slot 10. `The lower end of this bar terminates in a ring, 19. In this bar 18 are square notches, 20--eight in the upper end, which are equal distances apart, and one in the lower end near the ring 19. The lock 12 is a simple plate having a perforation, 2l, by which it ispivoted to the lower face of handle 8, and a thumb-piece, 22. This lock has on its left-hand facea shoulder, 23, to lock the bar back, as hereinafter described.

My invention is operated as follows: The bar 18 is pushed up until the lower notch catches in the outer end of the slot 10 in arm 8. This closes the bit and brings the two crosspieces 5 and 15 together, as shown in Fig. 1. Then the gag-bit is put on the horses head and in his mouth in the manner of an ordinary bridle and bit, with the handle 8 and levers 16 extending to the rear. In otherv words, the under jaw of the horse is between the rods or cross-pieces 5 and l5, the arms 6, and the levers 16. When I wish to'V pry open the horses mouth, I turn back the lock 12 and pull the rod 18 down through the slot 10, which throws the lower ends of the side pieces 13, and the rod or crosspieces 15 outward and upward, as indicated by the dotted lines 24,'Fig. 1. When the horses mouth is by this means sufficiently open I catch one of the notches 20, in the rear end of the slot 10, and turn the lock 12 back, which holds the said rod 18 upv to its place by means of the shoulder 23. I-t is evident that the horses mouth may be forced open more or less, according to the number of the notches used in the bar 10.

Having thus described my invention, what claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- L A The gag-bit, as above described, consisting of the side pieces 2, having the openings 3, rod or cross-pieces 5, arms 6, extending from the lower end and rear edge of said side pieces 2, and uniting in a handle, 8,which has a 'perpendicular slot, 10, lever 13pivoted to the said side pieces 2 by pivots 14, and having their as shown and described, and for the purposes zo lower ends joined by a rod or cross-piece, 15, set forth.

with their upper ends` extending upward and In testimony whereof I aiixmy signature in backward and forming levers 16, notch-rod presence o f two witnesses.

18, its upper end pivoted between the rear 1 T ends of arms 16, said rod working loosely in JAMES M' DUNL' said slot 10, and lock 12, pivoted to the lower l Witnesses:

face of arm 6 and adapted to lock saidbar f S. T: LEWIS,

18 by means of the shoulder 23, substantially JOHN JOHNSON. 

